John Spellar MP, Labour’s Shadow Foreign Office Minister, responding to Mark Simmonds’ resignation, said:

“Mark Simmonds’ resignation raises further questions about the Prime Minister’s judgement and is another blow to a Government already reeling from Sayeeda Warsi’s departure from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office last week. The new Foreign Secretary has now lost two ministers in just a few days.

“At a time when the FCO should be focused both on the crisis in Iraq and the situation in Gaza following the recent appalling violence there, David Cameron’s Government instead risks looking increasingly rudderless, and characterised by confusion.

“Even if Mark Simmonds’ resignation is for understandable personal reasons, the Prime Minister should have announced his replacement at the time of the reshuffle to allow an orderly handover.”